1996 Score Football features a 275-card base checklist. It’s is pretty loaded with rookies with 32 of them. There are some good ones, too, including Mike Alstott, Eddie George, Terry Glenn, Marvin Harrison, Keyshawn Johnson, Eric Moulds and Jonathan Ogden. There are two parallels that cover the entire checklist as well. Field Force cards feature a black and white background and a matte finish, while Artist’s Proof cards have a simple stamp on the front. 

There are a few good looking inserts, too, such as Numbers Game (1:17 packs), Footsteps (1:35 packs) and Dream Team (1:72 packs). 

WARNING: if you are sensitive to surface damage due to bricked cards, you may want to turn away now. 

1996 Score Football Box Break

Cards per pack: 10
Packs per box: 36
Price paid: $35

Shop for 1996 Score Football boxes on eBay.

Pack 1 highlights:

Randall Cunningham, Kerry Collins, Jim Harbaugh & Jerry Rice CL

Pack 2:

Marshall Faulk, John Elway, Ben Coates, Dan Marino SE & Troy Aikman/Kerry Collins Footsteps (1:35 packs)

Pack 3:

Rod Woodson, Emmitt Smith & Terry Glenn RC

Pack 4:

Joey Galloway, Rodney Hampton SE & Stan Humphries Field Force (1:6 packs)

Pack 5:

Andre Rison, Dan Marino CL, John Elway SE & Jerome Bettis

This set was sprinkled with some different style photography like the Rison card here. I love it. 

Pack 6:

Willie McGinest, Herschel Walker & Mark Brunell

Pack 7:

Deion Sanders, Eric Metcalf SE, Thurman Thomas & Drew Bledsoe

Pack 8:

Brett Favre SE, Bruce Smith, Warren Sapp & Eric Zeier Field Force (1:6 packs)

Pack 9:

Robert Smith, Herman Moore, Tim Brown SE & Kordell Stewart Numbers Game (1:17 packs)

The landscape cards of running backs evading would-be tacklers are also a hit, at least for me. 

Pack 10:

Ken Norton, Jr., Troy Aikman, Mike Alstott RC, Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders SE & Lawrence Phillips RC

Pack 11:

Kevin Greene, Kordell Stewart & Danny Kanell RC

Pack 12:

Carl Pickens, Eric Metcalf, Tim Brown, Steve Atwater, Emmitt Smith CL & Marvin Harrison RC

Pack 13:

Emmitt Smith SE

What are the chances this one-armed tackle attempt got Smith to the ground? I’d say slim to none. 

Pack 14:

Barry Sanders, Eddie George RC & Charles Haley Field Force (1:6 packs)

Pack 15:

Greg Lloyd & Brett Favre

Pack 16:

Cris Carter, Rodney Hampton, Troy Aikman SE & Antonio Freeman

Pack 17:

Jim Kelly, Michael Irvin, Tim Biakabutuka RC, Derrick Thomas, Bryan Cox & John Elway CL

Umm, I don’t think that is how you’re supposed to wear that. 

Pack 18:

Marcus Allen, Craig Heyward, Warren Moon & Jerry Rice SE

Pack 19:

Michael Irvin, Marino/Blake/Elway/Emmitt/Favre/Rice CL, Steve Young & Shawn Jefferson Field Force (1:6 packs)

Pack 20:

Ricky Watters, Jeff Blake CL & J.J. Birden Field Force (1:6 packs)

Pack 21:

Michael Irvin, Kevin Hardy RC & Drew Bledsoe SE

Hardy was selected second overall in the 1996 draft out of Illinois. He recorded 36 sacks in the NFL. 

Pack 22:

Isaac Bruce, Terrell Davis, Jonathan Ogden RC, Eric Moulds RC & Vinny Testaverde

Pack 23:

Charles Haley

Pack 24:

Marcus Allen, Warren Moon, Barry Sanders & Rocket Ismail

Pack 25:

Ben Coates, Rashaan Salaam, Willie McGinest & Brett Favre CL

Two Patriots studs in this pack. Yes, please!

Pack 26:

Rocket Ismail, Jeff Blake, Reggie White & Robert Brooks

Pack 27:

Ken Norton, Jr., Terry Glenn RC, Jerome Bettis, Dan Marino CL & John Elway SE

Pack 28:

Steve McNair & Tyrone Hughes Field Force (1:6 packs)

Pack 29:

Troy Aikman, Thurman Thomas & Tim Brown (with a crunched corner)

1996 would be Thomas’ eighth season in a row with over 1,000 rushing yards.

Pack 30:

Shannon Sharpe, Dan Marino, Eric Moulds RC & Brett Favre SE

Pack 31:

Carl Pickens, Tim Brown SE & Jerry Rice CL

Pack 32:

Ricky Watters, Daryl Johnston SE & Joey Galloway

Pack 33:

Rodney Hampton, Mike Alstott RC, Barry Sanders, Curtis Martin & Kyle Brady Field Force (1:6 packs)

Mike “A-Train” Alstott is still a fan favorite for his tough rushing (and blocking) style.

Pack 34:

Steve Young SE, Isaac Bruce, Vinny Testaverde, Terrell Davis & Deion Sanders/Orlando Thomas Footsteps (1:35 packs)

Pack 35:

Cris Carter, Steve Atwater & Brett Favre CL

Pack 36:

Marshall Faulk, John Elway, Jim Harbaugh & Steve Young SE

Lastly, the Elway card back. It’s absolutely stuffed with stats. I dig it. 

The bricking aside, this was a fun one. The Field Force parallels were safe as they lack the gloss that causes the cards to stick together. Unfortunately, no big names. I also missed out on finding a Dream Team insert that falls about once in every two boxes. I also didn’t find an Artist’s Proof card that typically lands once per box. Bummer. I was lucky enough to find a second Footsteps card, though. It was a Cowboys hot box for Footsteps, pulling both Aikman amd Sanders.

Shop for 1996 Score Football cards on:

• Beckett Marketplace
• eBay

Want more installments of Shane Salmonson’s Cheap Wax Wednesday? Check out his other breaks in the archives.